Homily For Friday, Thirty-First Week in Ordinary Time, Year A, 6th November, 2026.

 

Readings: Phil 3:17-4:1, Ps. 12, Luke 16: 1-8

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

PRUDENTLY USE THE THINGS OF THIS WORLD TO WIN YOUR SALVATION

The elements of good and bad seem inherent in the human person; little wonder the world involves both good and bad mixed together. This will help us to understand the reason for corruption, greediness, immorality, and social decadence in our world today. But even in the midst of all these ugly situations, we are expected to be wise and smart in our dealings with the things of this passing world.

Little wonder, in the Gospel passage today, Jesus tells the parable of this dishonest steward who, having acted unjustly and having been exposed by his master, went to great lengths to make friends of his master’s debtors to secure his future. In this parable, Jesus is not telling us to be dishonest, but he wants us to know that we can learn even from this dishonest servant how to prudently use the things of this passing world to gain our salvation. Thus, Jesus points out that we too should be smart but not exactly like the dishonest steward, using dishonest wealth to exploit others as most rich people do today. No, instead, we, his disciples, are to use our wealth to win souls for the kingdom and safeguard our own souls.

But more importantly, if we understand the principle that says that everything we own is a gift from God, then we will realise that God is the owner of everything and that we are His stewards. As such, we are to use the Master’s resources to further the Master’s work and not the contrary. In this context, we are told to be generous with our resources and use them for the safety of our souls and the growth of God’s kingdom.

Dear friends, today, we are called to really examine our conscience to know where we are with regard to our vocation as Christians. How can we best harness the things entrusted to us so that they can be a source in the midst of safeguarding our souls, surrounded by corruption and greediness? We are called today to be wise and smart, for if the worldly-minded people can be smart in their dealings, we too should be smarter in our struggles for the salvation of humanity. We should utilise the resources available to us and use them to secure our salvation.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, in our struggles with the ugly situation in our societies today, give us the grace and skills to manage the resources entrusted to us and use them properly for the salvation of humanity, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. It’s Friday; wishing you a fruitful day

Homily For Thursday, Thirty-First Week in Ordinary Time, Year A, 5th November, 2026

 

Readings: Phil 3:3-8 , Ps.104 , Luke 15:1-10

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

ARE YOU LOST IN THIS SINFUL WORLD? GOD IS SEARCHING AND WAITING FOR YOU

It is natural and common for any human person to desire to seek and find any valuable thing he/she has lost. Some people even have sleepless nights over their lost items. Some can go to any lengths hoping to recover any of their valuable commodity that are lost. If we can do this just for perishable things of this passing world, don’t we think that God will do even more to save every single soul he created in his own image and likeness.

Little wonder that in our Gospel passage today, Jesus, while addressing the Pharisee who accused him of welcoming sinners, tells us the parables of the lost sheep and the lost coin, which illustrate the unrelenting love of God for each of us, especially sinners.

In these parables, we see two examples of people searching for what is precious to them. And when they found it their joy was so great. So, Jesus uses these examples to explain to us how God seeks us when we are lost in sin and his joy when our friendship with him is renewed. His searching for us cost him the sacrifice of his Son Jesus Christ.

This can help us to realise how precious we are to him, that he never gives up on anyone except those who choose to be lost. All we need is for us to return to God who is patiently waiting for us. Just like St. Paul in our first reading who told us that because of Christ, he has come to consider all he has as nothing. For nothing can happen that will outweigh the supreme advantage of knowing Christ Jesus our Lord.

Dear friends, are we lost in sin? Have we given up in our struggle with sin? Do you think that our sins are so great that God cannot forgive us? Do we feel lost now? Jesus is searching for us; he is waiting for us at the confessional. When was the last time we visited him at the confessional? Just know that he loves us and we are too precious to be lost in this sinful world.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we are lost in this passing world due to our sinfulness. Seek out humanity once again from the wilderness of sins, so that we may return to you, just like the lost sheep and the lost coin, and so we may rejoice and praise you once again with the angels. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Peace be with you

Homily For Wednesday, Thirty-First Week in Ordinary Time, Year A, 4th November, 2026. The Memorial of St. Charles Borromeo

 

Readings: Phil 2: 12-18, Ps. 26, Luke 14:25-33

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

UNDERSTANDING THE SACRIFICIAL NATURE OF DISCIPLESHIP

A true disciple must constantly reflect throughout life to be aware of the seriousness of the commitment required of him/her. Little wonder Jesus in our Gospel passage today, takes his discourse on discipleship to a radical and difficult level

This is obvious when he said: ‘If any man comes to me without hating his father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters, yes and his own life too, he cannot be my disciple. Anyone who does not carry his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. So in the same way, none of you can be my disciple unless he gives up all his possessions.’

Here, Jesus teaches about the cost of discipleship. That there is a price to be paid. However, Jesus does not directly intend to cause tensions and divisions in family life, but he wants us to accept the consequences that come with the truth of the Gospel teaching,

This is important especially when it comes to living out the Gospel message in a radical way, especially in a situation where our family values have been thrown out of caution as a result of secularism, individualism and excessive desires for worldly pleasures, thereby neglecting the things that lead us to God.

So, we can only understand these hard words of Jesus in light of our life experience, because there are moments when we must make radical, difficult choices as disciples of Jesus. These moments may wield the sword of division or separation among those people and things which are so dear to us. Thus, he warns that we have to struggle to put him first, before family ties, knowing that divisions will surely occur as people have to decide to be for or against God.

Hence, he states that the cost of discipleship extends to one even losing his life. For none of us can become his disciple if we do not give up our excess desire for worldly pleasures and possessions, and pay our unreserved loyalty and allegiance to God over all other competing loyalties in our lives, including family, self-interest, and possessions.

Dear friends, how much are we willing to let go for the sake of discipleship? Do we find it too demanding? In what ways? Is giving up ‘all my possessions’ realistic, and if not, what does this passage mean to me? Whatever my response may be, may God give us the grace to grow in freedom, to be ready to follow and to serve him in a new way and also be able to speak to the Lord about the points of difficulty in paying this cost.

For St. Paul in our first reading tells us to work out our salvation in fear and trembling, just like St. Charles Borromeo whose memorial we celebrate today, for though he came from a wealthy family of Medici, he dedicated himself entirely to serving his people in a very sacrificial way.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, the excessive desire for the pleasurable things of this passing world have weakened our hearts from becoming a good disciple; give us courage and grace to let go of our ugly desires, to hold firm in our faith despite losing people and things that are dear to us. And through the intercession of St. Charles Borromeo, may we be outstanding in merit of his virtues and abounding in good fruit by our work and way of life. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a fruitful day.

Homily For Tuesday, Thirty-First Week in Ordinary Time, Year A, 3rd November, 2026. The Memorial of St. Martin De Porres

 

Readings: Phil 2:5-11 , Ps.22 , Luke 14:15-24

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

WHY HAVE WE BECOME TOO BUSY TO HONOUR THE INVITATION TO GOD'S KINGDOM? 

Invitations to events and social gatherings are part of humanity's social ways of life. And as usual, Jesus often uses the things we are very much familiar with to teach us a very important lesson.

So on the occasion of our Gospel passage today, Jesus tells the parable of the great banquet: a man planned a large banquet and sent out invitations, but those invited turned it down, so he opened the invitation to all who care to come. Jesus ends the parable by saying that “not one of those men who were invited will get a taste of my banquet”

Here, their excuses for not coming to the banquet are not realistic. Because no one buys land without seeing it first, and the same can be said for buying oxen. And what, exactly, would keep a newly married couple from attending a social event? All the excuses in the parable show insincerity on the part of those invited.

Hence the invitation is opened up to society’s maimed and downtrodden. The fact is that those who ignored the invitation to the banquet chose their own punishment; they missed out, and the master respects their choice by making it permanent: they would not “taste of my banquet”, he said.

So it will be with God’s judgment on those who choose to reject Christ or are too busy to respond to his invitation; they will have their choice confirmed, and they will never taste the joys of heaven. Therefore, let us learn to honour the invitation of God in humility.

This is what it means to be just like Christ Jesus whose state was divine, yet he did not cling to his equality with God but emptied himself to assume the condition of a slave, and became as men are; and being as all men are, he was humbler yet, even to accepting death, death on a cross as we heard in our second reading today.

Dear friends, the kingdom of God is opened for us today, let us not be too proud or busy to embrace it for the blessings of the kingdom are available to all who will come to Christ by faith. Let us learn to be humble and charitable with the gift God has given us, just like St. Martin De Porres, whose memorial we celebrate today.

For he was known for his care for the poor and the sick, using his knowledge in medicine and extraordinary spiritual gifts with a profound life of prayer, humility and penance. And today he is known as the patron saint of African Americans.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we are too busy with the things of this passing world, as we hear about the invitation to your Heavenly Kingdom today, may we embrace it with all humility while imitating St. Martin De Porres whose life is rooted in the humility of Christ your Son who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen. Have a blessed day.

Homily For Monday, Thirty-First Week in Ordinary Time, Year A, 2nd November, 2026. The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls' Day)

Readings: Wis.3:1-9, Ps.23, Rom 5:5-11, Matt. 5:1-12

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

COME LET US OFFER SOME HELP TO SUFFERING SOULS IN NEED OF PURIFICATION

Reflecting on the number of men and women who have passed on from our community this year, I asked myself, in my deep sorrow, where will all of us in this beautiful community be in the next hundred years? Where are all these people who have departed from us? Were they like us before? Will we be like them later?

 With this in mind, I realised that there is time for everything in this world, a time to be born, and a time to die, a time to weep, and a time to laugh, a time to break down and a time to build up (Eccl: 3:1-11).

Little wonder the Church in her wisdom asked us every 2nd November, a day after the solemnity of All Saints, to commemorate and pray for all the faithful departed (All Souls), especially the suffering Church, that is, those souls that belong to the body of Christ but are still in need of purification. So today we remember our loved ones who have gone before us into eternal life.

This we do not in grief but in the spirit of faith and hope, knowing that they are living in communion with us as they share in the resurrection of Christ. Just as we heard in our first reading, the souls of the virtuous are in the hands of God, for those who are faithful will live with him in love, since grace and mercy await those he has chosen.

Hence, St. Paul in our second reading tells us to rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation in order to live a beatific life which Jesus gave us in our Gospel passage today.

Dear friends, do you know that you can offer some little help to souls struggling to attain heaven our beatific vision? Do we know that there are helpless souls who only rely on our help to attain the beatific vision? What am I willing to do for these helpless souls?

Before now, have I even thought that my departed brethren need my assistance to reach their destination? Am I sure that I can avoid this state of suffering and purification? Do we ever remember that our loved ones may be there now?

Perhaps while they were in this life, they were of great help to us. Do we realise that our prayers and sacrifices represent the key to release them, and we can use it if we want to? Do we care about using it?

Therefore, as we remember the souls who are passing through this rigour of purification, it would be good for us to offer some prayers of intercession especially for our loved ones as plenary indulgence awaits us when we do this devoutly today or any day in this month of November at the Holy Mass or at the cemetery.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, as we commemorate and pray for all souls today, may the light of your mercy shine upon them, especially those who are in need of your mercy. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let your perpetual light shine on them. May their souls rest in peace. Wishing you a blessed week.

Homily For Sunday, Thirty-First Week in Ordinary Time, Year A, 1st November, 2026. Solemnity of All Saints. HAPPY NEW MONTH

 

Readings: Rev. 7:2-4.9-14, Ps.24, 1John 3:1-3, Matt. 5:1-12

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

SOLEMNITY OF ALL SAINTS A REMINDER OF OUR ORIGINAL VOCATION TO HOLINESS AND LOVE

Today, the Church celebrates three special events; the first one is the Thirty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time, the second is the gift of another new month, for which I say happy new month to you all. The second, which is the most important, is the solemnity of All Saints. The Church, as we know, is not just the physical structure we have all over the place; no, the Church is much more than that. The Church is the body of Christ, and every one of us is a member by virtue of our baptism.

This Church is divided into three groups, that is the militant Church, the suffering Church and the triumphant Church. The militant Church are all of us, especially the baptised, who are still inhabiting and struggling with the human flesh. But immediately after death, we belong either to the suffering Church or the triumphant Church.

The suffering Church is the souls that belong to the body of Christ but are still in need of purification. The triumphant Church are the souls that have been purified by the blood of the Lamb and are united with Christ. They are the saints that we are celebrating today.

Thus, every first November, the Church presents to us the solemnity of All Saints. A day we celebrate the triumphant Church that is all the saints known or unknown to us who have triumphed to heavenly glory, which, of course, reminds us that we are called to grow in holiness and to become saints, for that is our primary goal in life.

This solemnity dates back to the 7th century, and the occasion of its introduction was the conversion of the ancient Roman Pantheon into a Christian Church. Emperor, Phocas gave the Pantheon to Pope Boniface IV, who converted it into a Church and dedicated it to the Blessed Virgin Mary and all the saints about the year 608. But later in the year 731, Pope Gregory III consecrated a chapel in St. Peter’s Church in honour of all the saints, and since then, the solemnity of All Saints has been celebrated all over the world.

Therefore, in this great event, we are called to imitate the heroic virtues of the saints by living a life of beatitudes as peacemakers, pure of heart, meek, humble and merciful, as Jesus teaches us in our Gospel passage today. In our first reading, St. John in the Book of Revelation tells us that these saints are the people who have been through great persecution, and they have washed their robes white again in the blood of the Lamb.

Also, in our second reading, he made us know that we are already the children of God, but what we are to be in the future has not yet been revealed; but when it is revealed, we shall be like him because we shall see him as he really is. And everyone who entertains this hope must purify himself and try to be as pure as Christ.

Dear friends, why must we celebrate the saints? We celebrate the saints because they remind us of our universal vocation to holiness. Through their intercessions, they strengthen us in our struggles towards our goal, which is to attain eternal life. They help us to recall our communion with God along with the triumphant church and our duty to pray for the suffering Church. The saints remind us that we are pilgrims on this earth.

Therefore, this solemnity strengthens our faith in the teachings of the Church. No doubt all of us want to become saints, and oftentimes, we really want to live a holy life, but there are always obstacles on our way to holiness; these obstacles make us so aware of our sins, our weaknesses and our failures.

Yes, we are sinners, but so are the saints. They only relied on God’s mercy and grace, and so do we. We cannot become holy through our efforts alone; we need to cooperate with the grace of God. Remember, anything worth having is worth making sacrifices for, and the more it’s worth, the more significant sacrifices we should be willing to make for it. If holiness is necessary for one to attain heaven. Then it is worth all the sacrifices Jesus mentioned in the beatitudes.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as a militant Church on earth, there are a lot of troubles and challenges we are struggling with; help us through the intercession of all the saints to overcome them and so make it triumphantly to your heavenly kingdom. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Happy new month and a blessed All Saints celebration.

Homily For Saturday, Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time, Year A, 31st October, 2026

Readings: Phil. 1:18-26, Ps 42, Luke 14:1.7-11

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

UNDERSTANDING THE POWER AND GRACE IN EMBRACING HUMILITY OF LIFE

One virtue the world needs more of now is humility; our society lacks it because pride has become a way of life that many people wish to embrace. Hence, we often hear people saying in a very proud way, " Do you know who I am? By the time I finish with you then you will fear me. We hear people taking all sorts of honorific titles, whether merited or not; they want to be addressed and recognised so gloriously at every public event.

This should not be our attitude or disposition toward Jesus in our Gospel passage today, while addressing the Pharisees, who told a parable about humility, saying: When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take your seat in the place of honour. A more distinguished person than you may have been invited, and the person who invited you both may come and say, “Give up your place to this man.” And then, to your embarrassment, you would have to go and take the lowest place.

No; when you are a guest, make your way to the lowest place and sit there, so that, when your host comes, he may say, “My friend, move up higher.” In that way, everyone with you at the table will see you honoured. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the man who humbles himself will be exalted.’

Here, we see the importance of humility; we see how humility can help to elevate someone from nothing to something great. Pride can bring down the mightiest to nothing. The truth is that humility is not a way of glory, but a road of surrender that leads to passion and the death of oneself. It is a way of sacrifice, a service to others at the price of self- sacrifice. That is why many people do not want to be humble.

Dear friends, it may seem so difficult to embrace the virtue of humility, especially in our society today, but this virtue has a lot to offer us both as individuals and as a group. In fact, our world is in need of humble men and women, because a good society is built on all kinds of commendable virtues such as humility.

Therefore, as we end the October Devotion today, it is time for us to put off our old self, which is led by pride, the first capital sin, and put on a new person born of humility, love, compassion, contentment, purity, forgiveness, etc.

So let us work hard to add more virtues in our activities and behaviour, for blessed are those who are virtuous, for they easily solve their problems. Thus, why not try humility in solving those difficult and challenging moments in your life? Just try to be humble because it works like a miracle.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, we have often failed to follow the example of Christ humility which he has taught us. As we are reminded once again of the need to be humble, give us the grace to truly be humble at any level we find ourselves. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed and peaceful weekend.